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Functional specification partitioning
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| How would you decompose the *functional specification* of a complex system:
1) By sub-systems
2) By functionalities
3) Other
It would be obvious for me the 2nd option, but I also want to know your
opinion.
Fab
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| H. S. Lahman 2007-05-28, 10:06 pm |
| Responding to Fab...
> How would you decompose the *functional specification* of a complex system:
>
> 1) By sub-systems
> 2) By functionalities
> 3) Other
>
> It would be obvious for me the 2nd option, but I also want to know your
> opinion.
It depends on whether the FS is a primarily a requirements specification
document or primarily a design specification document. (2) would be
appropriate for a requirements document because it is independent of
Systems Engineering decisions like application partitioning. (1) would
be more appropriate for a design specification document.
The unfortunate reality is that most FSes are hybrids. They exist
because no adequate SRS is available so providing one defaults to the
developers. However, the developers will naturally tend to regard it as
a design specification document that includes basic Systems Engineering
decisions.
*************
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H. S. Lahman
hsl@pathfindermda.com
Pathfinder Solutions
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| tewilson@mitre.org 2007-06-01, 7:06 pm |
| On May 28, 10:48 am, "Fab" <nos...@nospam.nospam> wrote:
> How would you decompose the *functional specification* of a complex system:
>
> 1) By sub-systems
> 2) By functionalities
> 3) Other
>
> It would be obvious for me the 2nd option, but I also want to know your
> opinion.
>
> Fab
A functional specification provides a thorough definition of the
problem the system is to solve, i.e., requirements, and in my opinion
should decompose as #2. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to
keep design out of the spec so you end up with a small amount of #1
(hopefully it is small). Attempt to keep your spec independent of the
solution (design). Another take on your question is that you may be
trying to understand a current system and describe/decompose it...if
this is the case then definitely #2 would be appropriate and then you
allocate #1 to those decomposed functions.
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